As the title of their sophomore album suggests, Dragonette are equipped to excite fans on their North American tour this fall. Fixin to Thrill ranges from the uniquely introspective to the fearsome and fiery fistpumpers that listeners have come to know and love from the London-cum-Canada quartet.


Earlier this year, I sat with Martina and Dan prior to both their New York City show as well as their album being released. Now with the offering available for purchase, it was time to chat about post-album news, touring the world, and talking turkey and shower secrets.

SB: Hey Martina, it’s Hannah with Sheena Beaston, how are you!

MS: I’m good, how are you?

SB: All good here as well. It’s been some time since we talked back in June when you were here in NYC.

MS: I knoooow. It’s been a while!

SB: How’s the band doing?

MS: Swimmingly.

SB: [laughs] I love that word as a descriptor! Where are you guys at right now…in Canada, if I’m not mistaken, right?

MS: Yeah, I’m in Toronto. I’m actually in the club we played at last night, because I think [long pause] I lost my cellphone!

SB: Oh no, that’s such a bummer! Where did you play last night?

MS: We played at this place called The Mod Club. Thankfully, we don’t have a show tonight though, because it’s actually Canadian Thanksgiving!

SB: Oh no way! How does that differ from the American holiday?

MS: It’s basically the same, with I think, less shopping. Maybe more eating in that case! Yeah, I don’t think there’s the emphasis on shopping like there is down there.

SB: Yeah, the day after Thanksgiving is complete madness and mayhem. They call it “Black Friday”!

MS: Yeah, we do NOT do that. It’s much more calm. Definitely JUST about eating.

SB: I’m so all about that. Looks like I’m coming up there for Thanksgiving next year. [laughs] Anyway, let’s chat about the album now. It just came out last week and it’s a really solid listen. Most noticeably, there are a few songs where you’ve stepped outside of your typical sound, for example, with “Easy”. Can you talk about that for a bit?

MS: Yeah, I’m glad you mentioned that one. I guess…well…it’s the one song that is the most deeply emotional thing that we’ve written together. It was just…it was written at a hard time in our relationship.

SB: It definitely shows in the way that the song is laid out. Actually, everyone I’ve talked to that’s already listened to it [Fixin to Thrill] is quick to bring that song up as an album highlight.

MS: Oh, I’m so excited! I hope it becomes a single or something, because I feel like the imagery that could go along with it is so easily cinematic.


SB: So do you have plans for the next single or what might be released from the album next?

MS: I honestly don’t know. I haven’t really talked to anyone else about it yet, and it’s more of us doing the performing right now. I don’t like to press those things for some reason, because I feel like it makes me stress out! If I want to focus on the performances, and then get all tied up with the business side of it immediately, it’s too much.

SB: Totally understandable. Well then speaking of performances…when you played Mercury Lounge earlier this summer, one song stuck out and was immediately dubbed a hit by myself and other tastemakers at the show...

MS: I know what you’re going to say.

SB: ...think it was called “Get Your Titties Off My Things”…

MS: [laughs] Yeah, that’s the one!

SB: What happened to that song? I couldn’t help but be bummed out that it didn’t make the final album cut!

MS: I know, I know! [laughs] We played around with it a little bit, and with a whole bunch of different, y’know, collections of the songs that we had. And at that time, it just seemed that the way we had the album arranged was just right, so maybe we’ll just use those other songs in other ways. Yeah, I don’t know, like you just make a decision and stick by it. You don’t know whats right or wrong. There’s actually another song called “Our Summer of Sex” and I really really like that one and I love performing it, but that’s another one that didn’t make it on the record either. But, it doesn’t mean that we wont do anything with them…oh, they’ll come out.

SB: You should put them out as B-Sides!

MS: Yeah, I was thinking we could even put it out as a bonus track on one of the releases in another territory!

SB: Oh please do! I kept raving about this “amazing song” we heard at the show and I have no proof or anything to show for it!

MS: Well maybe we’ll do a Sheena Beaston exclusive and get you the track!

SB: Dude! You have no idea how rad that would be.

MS: Ok, well I’ll figure that out then.

SB: You just made my day! [laughs] In support of the album, you’re on a huge tour right now. And you’ve got Ruby Jean and the Thoughtful Bees with you for the Canada leg, right?

MS: I think it was a 2 years ago...no wait, like a year ago-ish in Halifax. We played a free show there and they, she, opened up for us. And, uh, I don't know, we just had a really good time with them. What happened was our agent gave us a list of options for support acts and I was like "Oh yeah, these people were fun!" They're just really great people to hang out with too.

SB: Are you bringing anyone with you on the US leg of the tour?

MS: Wait, are we? I don't know. Hold on. Dan's here now too. [to Dan] What's happening with the US tour again...

DK: No, we don't have anyone with us for the US.

MS: Oh! We don't have any!

SB: So its all about Dragonette then.

MS: I guess it is. Dan says hi!

SB: [laughs] Back at him! After you kick it "solo style" in the States, you're headed right out of the country again...

MS: Yep, first we hit "western Europa". We're actually hitting Berlin for the first time ever, which is so amazing. Then we go to Madrid and Barcelona and a bunch of other cities before moving on to Australia.


SB: Sounds rad! Ok, before I leave you, I have to drop this last bit in. I actually sent a message out to my twitter followers earlier today, asking if anyone had a question that they'd like to be answered by you.

MS: Oh you did? That's so cool!

SB: Yep! First question comes from Jeremiah in Omaha, NE. I know that we kind of touched on this already, but he wants to know if there is any one song on the album that you feel a special connection with.

MS: I guess I like different songs for different reasons. I think "Gone Too Far" is special to me. I always go for the songs that surprise me, kind of like the ones that have had the least amount of "trying and trying and trying"; the ones that kind of surprise you and are like "HEY, I'm your new song!", and that was "Gone Too Far" for me. It was exciting and wacky and a little bit country, [laughs], a little bit of a hoedown. I don't know, I just love playing that one live. I love hearing it, and I'm super proud of it. And then I really like the song "Come On Be Good". It's just really mellow and just kind of different from anything else on the album.

SB: Very cool. The second and last question through twitter is a bit "out there" but here we go. Slaughterbrains wants to know what your favorite kind of shampoo is!

MS: [laughs] Oh really? [laughs]

SB: I told him I would ask you!

MS: [laughs] You know what? I hate shampoos that smell like girls, and so I've just discovered Doctor Bronner's Magic Everything Soap! You can wash your hair, your armpits and your punani. It's all in one, and it's minty and it tingles EVERYWHERE. It makes your hair look like you just got out of the ocean which is ideal.

SB: Oh, beach hair is my favorite!

MS: Yeah, Doctor Bronner's. We're giving him some good publicity right now, aren't we?

SB: We totally are. Well thanks for taking the time to talk. Good luck on the tour and I'll see you in November at Santos here in New York.

MS: Great! Make sure you pack the house for us!

SB: Will do. [laughs]

It's always a pleasure to have a chat with Tina. We get to know a little more about her and the band every time we talk. Until next time, we'll wait for the invite to Canadian Thanksgiving next year. We can even swap gifts. I'll bring the magic soap and they can hit us up with the exclusive track we talked about...ha!

In all seriousness, many thanks yet again.

mp3: Dragonette - Fixin to Thrill (Chris Fraser Remix)
mp3: Dragonette - Gone Too Far